Editorial Mission

Map of Alkalima's nationwide distribution. Click to enlarge.

At Alkalima, we believe in the importance of a Muslim magazine as a means of educating Muslims and non-Muslims about Islam and the issues that surround it. Our goal is to provide an accurate source of Islamic teachings so as to evolve the reader intellectually and spiritually.

We also endeavor to provide insightful, in-depth analyses of political and social situations in the Muslim world, and to be a platform for artistic and poetic expression. Alkalima is a forum to facilitate interaction between the UCI Muslim community and the community at large, both Muslim and non-Muslim.

Most importantly, we believe in the need to be a part of the Islamic Movement—the organized and collective work for the sake of Allah (swt), undertaken to restore Islam to the leadership of society and to the helm of life. For indeed, Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an, “And say: ‘Work (righteousness): Soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the Believers: Soon will you be brought back to the Knower of what is hidden and what is open: then will He show you the truth of all that you did’” (9:105).

History

Past

Alkalima magazine was introduced to the UC Irvine campus in the fall of 1997 to address social, political and spiritual issues from the perspective of the Muslim university student. Since then, it has become the Muslim voice on campus and in many communities. Alkalima is distributed to many locations nationwide, including but not limited to: colleges, masajid (mosques), community centers, etc.

Present

The Arabic noun “alkalima,” which can be translated as “the word,” connotes a sense of honesty, integrity of form, and responsibility in presentation. The staff of Alkalima carries the same commitment and dedication from which our magazine was established and will always strive to remain true to these principles and virtues.

Currently, Alkalima is published once every academic quarter at UCI. Thus, we publish three issues per year, one in the Fall, one in the Winter, and one in the Spring.

We have also started a new campaign that includes pamphlets and informational booklets in addition to our quarterly issues. They are published in between magazine publications and are mainly focused on da`wah. To learn more about these publications, please visit our Projects page.

Future

By the will of Allah (swt), Alkalima hopes to grow and continue to touch the hearts and minds of its readers. We also hope to grow in cirrculation not just in the United States, but internationally as well insha'Allah. To allow for such growth and since Alkalima is entirely funded by its readers and volunteers, we rely greatly on the community.

If you would like to donate to Alkalima, please visit our Contacts page and may Allah (swt) reward you for your efforts and continued support.